THE LION. 105 



misfortunes and miseries. The lion, as they told the story, 

 seemed affected at the relation, and withdrew to some distance 

 from the water. This gave the boldest of the men an opportunity 

 of going down to the pond, and filling his vessels, while the other 

 continued his lamentable oration. They afterwards both passed 

 on their way before the lion, which made no attempt whatever 

 either to injure or molest them." The story, as thus related by 

 two superstitious old monks, is too ridiculous to obtain any credit 

 as to the motives which induced the animal to such a mode of 

 conduct. It, however, may be considered to rest on a better 

 foundation, when it is observed that the lion might have had his 

 appetite fully satisfied previously to their appearance, and at that 

 moment been too indolent to attempt to injure them. His re- 

 tiring at the relation of their story, was no doubt to suit his own 

 convenience, only thus interrupted as he was by the wanderers. 

 Of the generosity of the lion, many instances stand on record. 

 Every scholar is acquainted with the story of Androcles, the 

 Roman slave, who, being ill-treated by his master, the proconsul 

 of Africa, escaped into the desert, where, exhausted with hunger 

 and fatigue, he took up his lodging in a cavern, which, contrary 

 to his expectation, proved to be a lion's den. He had not re- 

 mained lonsf, before an enormous lion entered. Androcles found 

 it impossible to escape, and gave himself up for lost. The lion 

 approached him, but instead of devouring him, held up his foot, 

 which was wounded and bloody, and made a growling com- 

 plaint, as if he craved the man's help. Androcles, considering 

 that nothing could add to the danger of his situation, with a 

 courage that despair excited, and undoubtedly with a trembling 

 hand, laid hold of the lion's foot, and drew out a large thorn, 

 which had been the cause of his pain. The beast, finding him- 

 self much eased, caressed the man who had rendered him this 

 service, then laid down and slept beside him. The next night the 

 lion went out again, found some prey, brought it home, and laid 

 it at the feet of his benefactor. A perfect familiarity com- 

 menced between Androcles and the lion, and in this manner they 

 lived three years. At the expiration of this period, the slave, 

 knowing that the term of his master's proconsulship in Africa 

 was expired, and supposing that he himself was forgotten, left 

 die den in the lion's absence, and made his way to the Roman 

 colony ; but being unfortunately recognised for a runaway slave, 

 he was taken and sent to Rome to his master. By the Roman 

 laws the master was invested with absolute power over his slaves, 

 and this unfeeling barbarian ordered Androcles to be thrown to 

 the wild beasts in the amphitheatre. No sooner was the poor 

 slave placed in this dreadful situation, than he was approached 

 by an enormous lion, which, as both he himself, and the specta 



